Machine for measuring the areas of surfaces.



No. 70|,498. Patented June 3, I902.

J. E. NIGHTINGALE.

MACHINE FOR MEASURING THE AREAS OF SURFACES.

(Application filed Sept. 7. 1901.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

-No. 70!,498. Patented June 3,1902.

J. E. NlGHTlNGALE.

MACHINE FOR MEASURING THE AREAS OF SURFACES.

(Application filed Sept. 7. 1901.!

(No Model.) 2 $heets8heet 2.

W11 E55E5= m fimyw 47M. 3.

ERS CO FNOTCFLITfiQ, WASHINGTON. D. C.

STATES FFICE.

MACHINE FOR MEASURING THE AREAS OF SURFACES.

SPECIFIGATION forming as of Letters Patent No. 701,498, dated June 3, 1902. Application filed September '7, 1901. Serial No. 741604. (No model.)

described for automatically controlling the relative positions of the measuring -wheels.

and toothed segments according to the thickness of the hide or skin to be measured, ref erence being had to the accompanying draw-;

ings, wherein Figure 1 is a partial front elevation of a machine for measuring areas of surfaces embodying my improvements. plan view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3 3 shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4

is a detail plan View of the stationary yoke, showing in section the measuring-whee1,its-

pinion, and the skeleton lever pivotallyconnected to said stationary yoke. Fig. 5 is a detail plan view of the upper lever, in which the toothed segment is hung; and Fig. 6 is a detail enlarged view showing the adjustable connection between the lovers in which the respective measuring-wheel and segment are hung.

Similar letters refer to similar parts Wherever they occur on the different parts of the drawings.

In the drawings, A represents one of the upright end frames, and B represents the upper beam, which serves as a support for the dial and indicating devices, as is common in.

machines of this kind.

0 is the work-supporting table, D the feedroller, and E and F the respective front and rear cross-bars, as usual.

G is a stationary skeleton yoke or bracket secured to the front and rear cross-bars, E F, or either one of them, as may be most practical and convenient.

H, in Fig. 3,represents the hide or skin the area of which is to be measured.

I represents one of the measuring-Wheels,

Fig. 2is a top normally supported on the feed-roller D, as usual in'machines of this kind, said measuring-wheelhaving attached to one of its sides a small pinion K, secured to aspindle L, as usual.

M is one of the toothed segments, which during the measuring operation of the hide or skin engages with the corresponding pinion K on the measuringwheels, and each such toothed segment-is hung at m on a forked skeleton lever N, pivotally' connected at n to a bracket 1) on the beamB, as shown.

N is a weighted lever made integral with the lever N, and it extends toward the rear ofthe machine and serves as'a partial counterbalance forthe segment Ms The spindle L of the measuring-wheel and itspinion is journaled in abearing in the inner ends of a skeleton lever O, which is pivotally connected at g to cars or projections on the station'aryyoke or bracket Gr. Integral with the segment-supporting lever N is a projection a, which is adjustably connected to the lower lever O, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6. In practice I prefer to construct such connecting device between the segment-supporting lever N and the measuring-wheel lever O as followsz In the under side of the lever extensionn Imake, preferably, a tapering recess or", adapted to receive the upper end of a rod P, the lower end of which'is similarly received in a recess q in the upper end of a screw threaded bolt Q, that is adjustably screwed in a screw-threaded perforation in the lower le'ver O, as shown, and provided, preferably, with a check-nut q. (Shown in detail in Fig. 8.) By adjusting the position of the screwthreaded bolt Q relative to the lever O the distance between the latter and the projection it on the lever N may be lengthened or shortened as may be desired to compensate for variations in the thicknesses of the hides or skins the surfaces of which are to be measured.

In practice I prefer to interpose between the ends of the lever O and projection 02 on the lever N a yielding spring R, which serves the purpose of holding. the rod P properly connected to theleversO. N in case the hide or skin that is to be measured shouldvary in thickness during the measuring operation.

I wish to state that instead of using a rod P, having ends supported in recesses in the ends of the lever N, and adjusting-screw Q, I may, if so desired, pivot the ends of such rod in any suitable manner to such parts without departing from the essence of my invention.

The operation is as follows: As the hide or skin H is passed between the feed-roller D and measuring-wheel Ithe latterand its pinion K are raised, causing the forward end ofthe lever O to move downward, thereby liberating the segment M, which will descend by gravity so as to intermesh with the ascending pinion K, thus causing the latter and the segment M to intermesh and their relative positions to be automatically controlled during the measuring of the hide or skin and to compensate for variations in the thickness of the latter. When the hide or skin has passed entirely between the feed-roller and measuring-wheel, the latter drops in contact with the former, and during such downward motion of the said measuring-wheel the forward end of the lever O is raised, causing the lever N and the segment M to be likewise raised sufficiently to cause the latter to be brought out of mesh with the pinion K and held in its measured position by the pawl S, as is usual in machines of this kind. It will thus be seen that the mechanism hereinabove described serves to automatically control the relative movements of the measuring wheels and toothed segments-that is, as one rises the other descends, or vice versathus increasing the sensitiveness of the mechanism of the measuring device.

What I wish to secure by Letters Patent and claim is In a machine for measuring the areas of surfaces, a measuring wheel I, having a toothed pi'nion K, journaled in a skeleton lever 0, pivotally connected to a stationary skeleton yoke or bracket G, in combination with a toothed segment M, suspended on a pivoted lever N, having a forwardly-projecting extension at, an adjusting-screw Q, arranged on the lever O, a rod P, loosely interposed between the parts n and Q, and a contractile spring R connecting the ends of the levers N and O, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSIAH E. NIGHTINGALE.

Witnesses:

ALBAN ANDREN, HENRY MCCLEARN. 

